2019 Hanoi > Ho Chi Minh City

10 Day Itinerary

Day 1 - Hanoi, Vietnam

Xin Chao and welcome to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam! With large boulevards, tree lined lakes and French inspired architecture Hanoi is blessed with charming atmosphere. You will be met by an Emerald Waterways representative and be transferred to your hotel. This evening meet your Tour Director for a tour briefing and then enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.Two Night Stay: Hanoi

Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2 - Hanoi

This morning visit historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (view from outside) and learn about the man who liberated his country from French Colonial rule. See Ho Chi Minh’s former home then the iconic One Pillar Pagoda. Continue to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university established to educate royalty. Being over 900 years old with well-preserved architecture this is a fascinating glimpse into Vietnam’s past. Take a walking tour through Hanoi’s historic Old Quarter. Consisting of bustling streets and lanes named after the products sold in each street, it is an area oozing with character and is a great way to see local life in Hanoi. Finish with a stroll around picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake and the Ngoc Son Temple in the middle of the lake. EmeraldPLUS: Stop for lunch at KOTO restaurant, a unique restaurant that trains and educates disadvantaged street children in English and hospitality skills. EmeraldPLUS: Attend a traditional Water Puppets performance. Dating back to the 11th century, the Water Puppets are a unique Vietnamese art form. After the show we take you backstage to meet the puppeteers and get an intimate look at this fascinating art form.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3 - Hanoi – Halong Bay

Travel to Halong Bay and join your luxurious traditional style junk. Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its stunning scenery. Thousands of karst limestone pillars rise dramatically out of the emerald water creating a surreal but incredibly beautiful seascape. Settle in for an unforgettable overnight cruise through the bays and islets of this magnificent region. After a sumptuous lunch, visit a fishing village and discover more about the main livelihood of the locals in the area. In the evening enjoy the breath-taking surroundings as you relax on board. Discover More: Take the opportunity to view this spectacular landscape from the air with a 45 minute seaplane flight from Hanoi over Halong Bay (must be prebooked, additional cost).Overnight Stay: Bhaya Classic Junk or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4 - Halong Bay – Hanoi – Hoi An

After breakfast visit an islet to explore one of the many caves with their impressive stalagmite and stalactite formations. Sail back to the mainland leaving the majestic scenery behind. Transfer to Hanoi and take your flight to Danang where you will be picked up and transferred to the historic port town of Hoi An. From the 17th to 19th centuries Hoi An was a thriving port that saw trade from all parts of Asia as well as Europe. Today it is a well preserved town full of shops, great cuisine, history and architecture.Three Night Stay: Hoi An

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5 - Hoi An

Hoi An’s old town is closed to cars so is great for exploring on foot. This morning take a short guided walking tour through the World Heritage listed ancient town. See old merchants houses, a mixture of Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese architecture, including the beautifully carved Japanese Covered Bridge as well as the Assembly Hall of the Chinese Congregation. EmeraldPLUS: Visit Reaching Out, an organisation that assists people with a disability to learn skills and gain meaningful employment. Experience one of the traditional Vietnamese arts during your lantern making class, guided by Reaching Out’s artisans. Silk lanterns line the streets and are a fixture in the local homes and shops of Hoi An. Afterwards, enjoy tea in the organisation’s peaceful tea house nearby. The afternoon is free for you to discover this wonderful town.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 6 - Hoi An

Today is free to explore Hoi An and it’s surrounds. Wander the streets, visit the shops and markets, relax by the river or on the beach. Discover More: Learn how to cook like a local at a Vietnamese cooking class, or tour the historic ruins of the Champa Kingdom at My Son (additional cost).

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 7 - Hoi An – Hue

Drive along one of Vietnams most scenic roads travelling over the Hai Van pass with views of the picturesque coastline and quaint villages. Arrive in Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. On the banks of the Perfume River, Hue hides secrets of an impressive past with a plethora of cultural sights. Visit the Imperial Citadel, a wonderfully historic structure that was the seat of the former Nguyen Dynasty. Modelled on Beijing’s Forbidden City, it houses the emperor’s residence, temples and palaces. EmeraldPLUS: Cyclos are a Vietnamese institution and are a fun and relaxed way to get around. Experience a traditional cyclo ride through the Dai Noi or ‘Old City’ to Tinh Tam Lake where the Emperors used to come to relax. Board a boat for a tranquil ride down the Perfume River to Hue’s most significant and iconic temple, the Tien Mu Pagoda, a seven story octagonal tower that is a Buddhist Temple. EmeraldPLUS: Royal cuisine under the Nguyen Emperors’ banquets were legendary, and tonight we live like an Emperor of Hue and dress up in royal costume for an Imperial banquet. Savor an unforgettable dinner with typical royal dishes which gives a glimpse of the city’s splendid past.Overnight Stay: Hue

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8 - Hue – Ho Chi Minh City

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. More commonly known as Saigon, it is a city with a turbulent and colourful past, although today it is the country’s commercial centre with over eight million inhabitants and four million motorbikes. Tonight enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.Two Night Stay: Ho Chi Minh City

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9 - Cu Chi Tunnels

EmeraldPLUS: Travel from the city, through the countryside to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels. An ingenious network of over 200km of underground tunnels, they were built by the Viet Cong guerrillas as a means of protection, communication and deception against both the French and American forces. At its peak, the network included sleeping quarters, kitchens, meeting rooms and hospitals serving more than 18,000 fighters. Join a Vietnamese Veteran and learn of the wars, strategies, atrocities and the resourcefulness of the Vietnamese which eventually led to the defeat of their enemies. See traps, bombs, weapons, tanks and if you dare, you can even go underground and experience what it was like to be a guerrilla. Hear fascinating stories from first-hand experience to allow a real insight into one of the most famous wars of our time. Return to Saigon and spend the afternoon exploring the city. Discover More: Evening street food walking tour introducing you to some hidden culinary delights of Ho Chi Minh City (not available during Lunar New Year), or discover Saigon old and new with a tour of modern, traditional and historical sights (additional cost).

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 10 - Depart Ho Chi Minh City

Be guided on a city tour of Saigon, visit Reunification Palace and learn the fascinating tale of the North Vietnamese tanks rolling through the gates and seizing the Palace on the morning of April 30 1975, signifying the fall of Saigon. From there stroll to the major sights of colonial Ho Chi Minh City such as Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Saigon Post Office, bustling Dong Khoi Street, Opera House and City Hall. Finish at the War Remnants Museum which provides a graphic insight into both the French and ‘American’ wars in Vietnam. (book flight after 4pm if undertaking Ho Chi Minh city tour). Transfer to Ho Chi Minh City airport for your onward flight. We hope you enjoyed your tour of South East Asia and hope to see you again soon!

Meals Included: Breakfast

Tour inclusions

INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE

Overnight cruise on Halong Bay

Fully escorted by an Evergreen Tour Director

Deluxe hotels with all service charges, taxes and porterage included

Guided sightseeing by expert Local Guides in modern air-conditioned vehicles

All intra-tour flights

Return airport transfers

All tipping and gratuities included

Cruise the emerald waters and marvel at the magnificent scenery on board a luxury junk in Halong Bay

Learn of the fascinating Cu Chi Tunnels constructed by the Viet Cong guerrillas

Guided tour of the main sights in Hanoi

Tour the sights of Ho Chi Minh city including Reunification Palace where the war ended

Guided walking tour of Hoi An’s historic old town

Visit the Imperial Citadel and the Tien Mu Pagoda in Hue

Spend three nights in fascinating Hoi An exploring the town and its surrounds

Take in picturesque views from the Hai Van pass

Relax on a cruise of the Perfume River in Hue

Explore vibrant Ho Chi Minh City with its interesting mix of modern and traditional